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Protection of Life and Property from Problem Wildlife

Grizzly bears and Elk, Resolution 4-23, Resolution 5-23

On July 9 the Provincial Government announced they were “taking action to protect Albertans lives and livelihoods from problem wildlife, including grizzly bears.”

Link to announcement: Protection of Life and Property from Problem Wildlife

“Alberta’s government is announcing a multi-pronged approach to solving the issue of problem and dangerous wildlife by offering a range of management tools to address challenges and keep Albertans safe.

Alberta’s government is creating a new network of wildlife management responders to help stop dangerous and deadly grizzly bear attacks on people and livestock. When a problem animal like a grizzly or elk is identified, members of the approved network will help provide rapid conflict response times across all regions of Alberta. This response could include tracking and euthanizing a problem animal, while still following all rules and regulations already in place. This is not a bear hunt; this is a measure to ensure the safety of humans and livestock.”

Resolution 4-23: Grizzly Bear Population Impact on Agricultural Production

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT ALBERTA’S AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARDS REQUEST The Minister of Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to have BMA 2 population and density of Grizzly Bears assessed and develop a suite of programs for Agricultural Producers, like those available to agricultural producers in BMA 5, including a Provincial Grizzly Impact Mitigation Plan.

Response: None

Resolution 5-23: Land Owner Special License

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT ALBERTA’S AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARDS REQUEST That Alberta Environment and Protected Areas restructure the criteria for Landowner Special Licenses to allow for landowners to receive tags without having to previously be unsuccessful in a regular draw.

FURTHER THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT ALBERTA’S AGRICULTURAL SERVICE BOARDS REQUEST That Alberta Environment and Protected Areas allow Landowner Special Licenses to be valid for the entirety of the season in all Wildlife Management Units (WMU’s) in which the applicant has deeded land.

Response: ” My ministry is exploring options to support agricultural producers experiencing ungulate depredation, including increasing hunting opportunities and strategies to harvest in Wildlife Management Units where conflict is high, relaxing restrictions on the number and type of elk licenses held by an individual, increasing the diversity of programs and potential municipal partnership opportunities under the Ungulate Damage Prevention Program to reflect the diversity of stored livestock crops and storage systems, and exploring alternate strategies and regulations to decrease elk populations on a sub-regional basis.

Ministry Staff will continue working with agricultural producers to explore options and develop effective tools to mee the combined goals of sound wildlife management and allocation and the the needs of landowners.”

The ASBPC was not consulted about this program announcement. It is unclear which agriculture producers they are working with to explore these options.

Related information:

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